Method of making flexible conduits for cable controls



Oct. 12, 1937. G. A. GLEAsoN ET AL.

METHOD OF MAKING FLEXIBLE' CONDUITS FOR lCABLE CONTROLS Filed Feb. 2l, 1935 A l --.News

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Patented Oct. l2, 1937 UNITED i uSTATE-s V METHOD F MAKING FLEXIBLE CONDUITS 'I FOR CABLE CONTROLS George A. Gleason and Carl E. Stolnacke, Worcester, Mass.,` assignors to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporationof New Jersey Application- February 2l, 1935, Serial No. 7,624

3 Claims.

of making such a conduit. Other objects may be 1 inferred.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure l shows along length of conduit constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of the individuai wires Yfrom which the conduit is made. i

Figure 3 shows the end of the conduit as finished for use but without the usual end tting.

Figure 4 illustrates a, method of dividing the conduit into shorter lengths. y Figure 5 is a cross-section from Figure 4 on the line V-V.

Figure 6 illustrates the making of the conduit. The conduit illustrated by the above described drawing includes a plurality of round Wires I that are tandem coiled into tubular form, and a plurality of T-sectioned wires Zuthat are tandem coiled tightlyover the rst named wires with their stem portions 2 extending inwardly between the latter, 4

All of these wiresare made from highcarbon steel and the stemportions 2a of the wires 2 are shaped as at 2b to-seat against the wires I.

The ends ofthe conduitl are oppositely spotwelded at points eiecting interconnection of the respectiveends of all of the wires. The welded points are numeraled 3. Since they are located on opposite sides o i' the conduit they interconnect -all of the wires of which it is composed.

It is to be noted that the conduit being described is made from wires tandem-wound in two's. Therefore, the two oppositely located welds made in the valleys between the wires 2, as is illustrated, lare sumcient to interconnect' all tour of the wires because they result in fastening the adjacent edge portions of the two wires 2 to the central surfaces of the two wires I.

The conduit just described is made by tandemcoiling the wires I into tubular form, tandemcoiling the wires 2 tightly over the wires I so that their stem portions 2m extend inwardly between the latter, and then swaging or hammering the wires 2 so as to force their stem portions 2'A between the wires I, this swaging or hammering being done with just suilicient force to slightly deaden the various wires so as to reduce their tendency to recoil without materially aiecting the diameter of the conduit.

It is obvious that the conduit produced by the above operations can only be economically made in a much longer length than is usually required when used to house the cable control of an automobile brake. In view of this, the invention also includes a. way of dividingsuch a long length of iiexible conduit of the character described into shorter lengths.

PATENT- OFFICE f This is done by oppositely spot-welding the long lengths of conduit at points between adjacent edge portions of thewires 2 so as to connect the same with the wires I. This has previously been ldescribed in connection with the description of the conduit itself, but it should be here-noted that a plurality of spot welds, numeraled 3a in the drawing, are made. on each side of the conduit. After the welds are made, the conduit is transversely cut between the same so as to divide the conduit at this point. Each group of welds is made at points spaced according to theA lengths into which the conduit must be divided'.

This method of dividing the conduit provides an assurance that the variouswires will not be displaced by the cutting operations. In addition, the wires are positively held against recoiling when cut, whereby their positions, initially determined by the tightness of the coiling f the wires Zand the extent ofthe swaging or hammering,

-are preserved. When the conduit is in service, the interconnection of all` of the wires of which it is composed prevents individual displacement of the same." J

It is to be understood that the coiling described may be one by any known means, such as by a suitably designed spring coller. Also, that the Aswaging or hammering operation may likewise be done in any known manner, such as by the use of a swaging machine having a suitably designed rotary die.

Although speciiic examples of the invention are shown and described in accordance with the patent statutes, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention exactly thereto, except'as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A method of dividing a long length of flexible conduit into shorter lengths, said conduit including a plurality of wires that are -tandem coiled into tubular form, and a plurality of T- sectioned wires that are tandem coiled tightly over the first named wires with their stem portions extending inwardly between the latter, said method including oppositely spot-welding said 2. In a method oi' making a flexible conduit.V

including tandemcoiling a plurality of wires into tubular form, tandem coillng a plurality of T- sectioned wires tightly over the ilrst named wires Y 10 so that their stem portions extend inwardly between the latter, and swaging orhammering said Tsectioned wires so as to force their stem portions ilrmly between the rst named wires and `with sumcient force to at least slightly deadenV 3% the said wires so as to reduce their tendency to recoil.

3. A method of makingv a ilexible conduit, in-

cluding tandem collins a plurality of wires into tubular form, tandem collins a plurality of T- sectioned wires tightly over the nrst named wires so that their stem portions extend inwardly between the latter, and swsingv or hammering said T-sectioned wires so as to force their stem portions lrmly between the iirst named wires and with suillcient torce to at least slightly deaden the said wires so as tb reduce their tendency to recoil, whereby a long length oi' exible conduit results, then oppositely spot-welding said conduit at, points between the adjacent edge portions og said T-sectioned wires so as to connect the same to the ilrst named wires, and transversely cutting A said conduit between said points.

GEORGE A, crimson. CABLE. s'mLNAcKE. 

